Tuesday 30 June 2009

Hot and sticky.......

The garden is dry.......so very dry.......
I try not to water beds and borders........

unless the plants are beginning to wilt......


Mr P and I went to the Mushroom Farm today.......we took the trailer.......and collected some compost. It smells of woodland.....I am a compost sort of girl.....
When it rains I shall add it to the garden......
I am hoping one day my heavy clay soil will be a little lighter.......
Well I can dream, can't I?
Some of the plants that you see, I grew from seed in the greenhouse.....

I really love corn marigolds...... they seem to bloom forever......

I shall grow even more next year........it is the cheaper option and such a lot of fun......

Poppi is going to have her own little border........she will choose the plants......
She has a lot of thinking to do........I have a feeling there will be a lot of pink in my garden next year!!




26 comments:

Gail said...

Cheryl, I was so hoping that you would have had a return to the English summer we expect! I have been forced to water...in preparation for leaving town...I want to return to some living plants! I know how you feel... lighter, fluffy soil would be nice...sigh.

I am so excited to hear that Poppi is going to have her own border...I wonder which sweet pink flowers she'll choose! Pink is beautiful~and one never out grows pink flowers.

Gail

Liz said...

Lovely photos Cheryl, it's so hot, muggy, uncomfortable but it does mean the mornings and evenings are wonderful being able to sit out and thoroughly enjoy our gardens, wildlife and life in general.

I can't wait to see what Poppy comes up with!

By the way, did you grow your Ragged Robin from seed? I've been having difficulty sourcing seeds to grow my own!

Lisa at Greenbow said...

We too are going through a dry spell Cheryl. Last week record breaking temps we have at least had some relief from the heat. I hope you do too soon.

That sweet Poppi will keep you busy in her border. What fun you will have picking the flowers then watching them grow together.

Cheryl said...

Hi Gail.....I hope you are going out of town on vacation ....and do have a wonderful time.....
Light fluffy soil would be heaven....if only......

I am looking forward to Poppies choices.....and I will not sway her...what she chooses she has....

Cheryl said...

Hi Liz....it is wonderful to be able to sit in the garden in the cool of the evening.....it is amazing what arrives when dusk falls....

I did grow the ragged robin from seed....would you like me to send you some when mine have finished flowering....I am always happy to send seeds so do let me know if there is anything else you like.....

Cheryl said...

Hi Lisa....i really am not enjoying this hot spell. I worry about the parents and ma in law....they are not coping very well with the heat.....

It will be fun giving Poppi a free hand to plant up her little garden....I will of course be posting.

If you get any rain, please send it this way......

Sondra said...

ITs hot here in SC, and dry. We need rain! I do the same thing--go to the Race Track where they give away as much manure as you can haul away...My soil is Sand--and it drains so fast.

Wendy said...

Hi Cheryl, I will certainly send you some rain. We are having a rainy week. So unusual at this time of year. A day or two fine, but a whole week? And I'll send you some sand for your clay soil. I find everything sifts right through, fertilizer, water, compost - sigh! If only we could mix up our soils a little - they we could garden forever and ever (well we will anyway).

Your flowers are dancing! They look just fine. Can't wait to see what Poppi will come up with for a border. Keep us posted....

Cheryl said...

Hi Dixie Doodles....sandy soil, heaven.....I wish......

Cheryl said...

Hi Wendy.....if only we could mix soil, wouldn't that be great?
My soil is very fertile, which is good. Everything grows tall and to triffid proportions.....
It is just so heavy....and at the moment it is so dry I cannot get a spade in. Despite adding manure and grit every year, it is still unyielding....

I cannot wait to see what Poppi chooses....I will keep you posted for sure.....

Libby said...

Sorry I haven't visited for a while, I have been enjoying my girls company!
I love the corn marigolds, I have pot marigolds which self seed eveywhere, do the corn marigolds, I've never seen them before?

Monica the Garden Faerie said...

Hi Cheryl, I also only like to water newly planted or transplanted things, as well as veggies, but sometimes you have to give in. Good idea giving Poppi her own section of garden. Speaking of pink, I've really been digging pink flowers this year myself, which is odd because I don't think of myself as a pink person!

Roses and Lilacs said...

Your flowers look wonderful! I've tried to plant native and xeric plants here too so I don't have to waste water. Even the roses can take prolonged dry periods but they don't flower or grow much during droughts. I hope you get a good rain soon to freshen everything up. Our skies have been threatening for days but not a drop of rain.
Marnie

ShySongbird said...

Such lovely blooms Cheryl, everything here is wilting including me! Even Louis refused to go for his short lunchtime walk, he is an intelligent dog.

I do hope you are enjoying your time with Mr P this week.

Rose said...

Oh yes, Poppi deserves some pink:) What fun that will be planning and planting with her! All your flowers are so beautiful--I didn't have a lot of luck with seeds this year. I do have some of the verbena you sent me growing, and I'm not sure if that is nigella growing in one spot. If and when they bloom, I'll be sure to include them in a post.

It's been very dry here, too, though it finally cooled off--I had to wear a jacket to walk the dog last evening. I have to water my containers all the time, but I'm hoping all those dark clouds in the sky soon bring some rain to the rest of the garden.

Morning Glories in Round Rock said...

Cheryl, you still have lots of beautiful color in your garden. I am crazy for compost. I can just smell the mushroom compost when I close my eyes--lovely! Poppi looks so sweet and contemplative. She will have so much fun with her little garden. My Charley is loving hers, checking on it and watering regularly.

Susan said...

I love your orange, yellow & purple combinations - one of my favorites. A lovely pink border will be very soothing and cooling in the heat.

Anonymous said...

Dear Cheryl your garden is fantastic as always! The colors make me smile.

As to weather I wish you to have some of the rains we have here. Your flowers deserve to have some water and surely too much heat is not too good for health.

I will look forward to seeing Poppies choice too.

Also may I ask for a bit of your help? I have a problem when I capture violet flowers they look blue on pictures. Today I made a post about it. Have you ever experienced such problem? As far as I can see your flowers look violet as in nature...

Cheryl said...

Hi Libby......The corn marigolds only come back if they are on ground where the soil is turned...a bit like ploughing a field.....
I have them dotted around the garden now...all self seeders....and because they are native, wildlife love them, especially hoverflies......

Enjoy your girls......

Cheryl said...

Dear Rose.....I did well with natives but others have not done so well. Coleus have done extremely well and I have many for Dad to sell at the front gate.....I cannot plant them out, the rabbits like them...Grrrrrr.....

I am not liking this heat.....every day is an effort.....there is so much to do in the garder, I am just trying to keep focused and work my way through 'stuff'....

I am thinking of doing a rain dance in the garden tonight.....do you think it will work??

Cheryl said...

Hi Morningglories.....I love compost to.....I wish they would bottle it, I would be first in the queue......I do worry about me, sometimes.....

Have a fun trip.....

o2bhiking said...

Your photos are beautiful, as always. Your granddaughter must learn a lot from you. I always enjoy my little visit "across the pond" to your gorgeous garden. Art

marmee said...

dear cheryl,

we too are in a hot-dry spell. the humidity has leveled off but that makes it even dryer. i have been watering otherwise my stuff just looks terrible plus the veggies are growing so rapidly they really need it.
we have a very heavy soil with clay here too and i find it completely different from fl.
how fun for you and poppi to creat a border. it will be so interesting to see what see picks.

Q said...

Dear Cheryl,
I have slowly turned my gardens into native gardens and water only the deck pots and baskets.. Once in awhile if I have newly planted or sweet seedlings I will water in the gardens...
Lovely Poppi pink! I can see her gardens with just a touch of white mixed in. Will she do seed to seed gardening too? You are giving her the best of gifts...teaching her the love of the plants and the bugs is the best gift a Grandmother could ever give.
All of your flowers look pretty. I love callas. Yours looks lovely!
Do hope you have rain soon.
Sherry

Liz said...

Thank you so much for the lovely offer of ragged Robin seeds Cheryl, I'd love some if you wouldn't mind! :D

If you could let me know when seeds are available, we can sort something out :)

Cheryl said...

Hi Liz...no problem....I will be in touch when they are ready...I may enclose some other wildflower seeds for you......